We want all schools to be bully-free zones, but that is easier said than done. In Indiana, state law requires school staff to complete training annually about bullying. The purpose is to understand what bullying is, what signs to look for, how to identify bullying, and how to report incidents of bullying. Furthermore, students in…
A middle-aged man passed away in St. Louis from a lung illness tied to vaping last week. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this is the 8th confirmed death tied to e-cigarettes. Unfortunately, the CDC only expects this number to rise. Electronic cigarettes or “E-cigarettes” are battery-powered devices that allow users to inhale…
In September, we recognize Suicide Prevention Month. One of the places where suicide should be taken more seriously is in schools. High school has always been a place where suicide has been a topic, but it seems nowadays, the age of children dying by suicide younger. The reason is that some school are places where…
September 23-27 is College GO! Week in Indiana. This annual event aims to increase the number of students pursuing post-secondary education. In particular, there is a focus on increasing college attendance of low-income and first-generation college students. Although it might seem that this week would be geared towards only high school students, it is not….
It’s that time of the year when schools start receiving their standardized test grades from the previous year. With those grades comes complaints about fairness, and “teaching to the test” . . . and that’s for the schools lucky enough to get their scores as there always seems to be delays. These kinds of experiences…
Once again, I am here to inform the public that no one has the right to police and judge black hair. I will keep writing about this until it is no longer an issue, and by the looks of it, I’ll be writing about this issue for a long time. Recently, grandmother Randi Woodley was…
As much as we would like to think that white privilege has come back, I always ask did it ever really go away. I believe it became out of sight out of mind during our eight years of bliss with President Barack Obama. Now that we have 45 in office, it seems that every day,…
Last month a video from Shortridge high school went viral because it appeared to show an officer punching a student. Authorities now believe they have enough evidence to charge the officer for his role in the altercation. IMPD Officers responded to Shortridge High School last month to assist following a large fight inside the school….
During September, we recognize Attendance Awareness Month. Attendance Awareness Month is a national campaign to promote the value of regular school attendance. There are actions needed by schools, parents, and communities to reduce chronic absence of students. It is important to encourage regular school attendance. Regular school attendance is important to overall school success for…
Every year, Hispanic Heritage Month happens from Sept. 15-Oct. 15. During this time, we recognize and celebrate the cultures of Latino Americans. Latino Americans make up roughly 18 percent of the population in the United States. As the population of Latino students grows in my school, I have become more interested in not just the…